* Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales arrived in Venezuela on January 2nd as part of a tour before his inauguration next January 22nd.

* Coming from Cuba, where he made his first stopover, Morales would then proceed to Spain, France, Brussels, South Africa, China and Brazil.

* Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and ministers welcomed the leader of the Bolivian Movement for Socialism (MAS) at Simón Bolívar Maiquetía International Airport.

* Earlier, President Chávez commented that the triumph of the indigenous leader mirrors people's awareness to retake the historical background.

* Chávez dismissed claims of an evil axis composed of Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela and accused Washington of being the core of such axis.

* He claimed that the United States and allies are responsible for threatening, invading, killing and murdering. "We are creating the axis of good, the new axis, the axis of the new century."

* On arriving in Maiquetía, the new ruler claimed to be certain that the Latin American integration would come true.

* Morales emphasized that Bolivia will join "the anti-neoliberal and anti-imperialist fight."

* "Latin America is facing new times, in a new millennium, a millennium for the people and not for the empire, to solve the social and economic troubles of national majorities," Morales reasserted.

* He noted that the movement is not only in Bolivia, but is championed also by Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela.
 
* Chávez commented that he would discuss with Morales the 10 fundamental proposals made by the Movement for Socialism (MAS) in Bolivia, including nationalization of hydrocarbons, constituent assembly and state law on productive lands.

* Morales paid a visit to Chávez after his landslide victory in the polls last December 18th and following a meeting on December 30-31 with Cuban ruler Fidel Castro.

* The leader of MAS planned to stay briefly in the capital city following an invitation by his colleague and friend Hugo Chávez, journalist Alex Contreras, the speaker of the future Andean ruler said in the city of Cochabamba.

* The Cuban and Venezuelan rulers were invited to Morales' inauguration next January 22nd, after a ten-day tour in Spain, France, Brussels, South Africa, China and Brazil.

* The first official meeting was one more of a number of meetings between the leaders who have a close personal and political relation.

* A fervent admirer of the Bolivarian revolution headed by Chávez, the former deputy and MAS leader was one of the first foreign guests in the Sunday TV and radio show of the Venezuelan president.

* Morales and Chávez closed links after a failed coup in 2002 in Venezuela and Chávez support of the Bolivian access to the sea in 2003.

* The peasant leader joined Chávez over the last years in several international anti-imperialist, indigenous, and social events. The last one was the Anti-Summit of the Americas in Argentina.

* Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales executed on January 3rd an instrument to further bilateral relations and make progress in the economic and social areas, particularly hydrocarbons and energy.

* Chávez informed that in the short term, Venezuela would supply the 150,000 barrels per month of diesel fuel imported by Bolivia at an approximate cost of USD 150 million. "I will not accept you paying us a cent. You are going to pay us in agricultural products," Chávez told Morales.

* In advance to those who criticize that he is "giving what does not belong to him," Chávez noted that his government does not make presents, but fulfills an integrationist commitment.

* He announced that the Southern Fund -fueled by the investment of Venezuelan state banks- would donate USD 30 million for social causes in Bolivia, such as the missions fostered by the Venezuelan government.

* Branches of state oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa,) Venezuelan Industrial Bank, and National Development Bank will open in Bolivia in order to facilitate the cooperation agreed upon.

* The instrument commemorates the 180th anniversary of Bolivia's foundation and asserts the Bolivarian ideology concerning Latin American and Caribbean unity.
 
* The Venezuelan government offered its experience to support Morales' political promise to recreate the Republic by means of a constituent assembly.

* Morales explained that the purpose is to end with discrimination and unfair distribution of wealth from the exploitation of natural resources. "We ought to stop being an exporter of raw materials and make headway towards industrialization. This does no mean privatization of basic utilities," he pointed out.

* The Bolivian president-elect vowed to make an effort to eradicate corruption.

* "We are going to change Bolivia. We are convinced that in Peru, grassroots movements will also be vindicated," said Morales in Ayacucho Hall, Miraflores presidential palace, and as a salute to Peruvian indigenous leader Ollanta Humala, who was present in the ceremony.

* Chávez also made reference to Humala, and called him a valuable soldier.

* Humala, who met on January 2nd night with Chávez, told reporters that Peruvians view as "important the ongoing process here in Venezuela, a process that is to start in Argentina, and now in Bolivia. It is the nationalist, indigenous and leftwing trend that is giving a new face to Latin America." Humala visited Caracas at the invitation of ruling party MVR and return to Peru on January 4th.

Peru recalls Venezuela ambassador
* Peru recalled its ambassador from Venezuela on January 4th, in a drastic reaction to President Hugo Chávez' support for Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala, a former nationalist military officer.

* "Given the statements yesterday (January 3rd) by the President of Venezuela, which represent an interference with Peru domestic affairs, the Peruvian government has decided to recall its ambassador from Venezuela, Carlos Urrutia, for consultations," said the Peruvian Foreign Affairs Ministry in a communiqué.

* Lima claimed that Chávez "made a series of statements regarding the political process facing Peru that run counter the international law and the principles of the Inter-American system of nations, under which democratic countries have an obligation to refrain from interfering with other countries' domestic affairs."

* Further, Peruvian nationalist presidential candidate Ollanta Humala was the target of harsh criticisms in his country following his meeting with Chávez, and Bolivian president-elect Evo Morales in Caracas, Efe informed.

* The Peruvian press highlighted Humala's visit to Caracas. El Comercio daily asserted "Chávez ratifies sponsorship for Ollanta," and claimed that the Venezuelan ruler "sees in Humala a sort of clone in a country that, despite lacking oil, has a strategic and enviable coast over the Pacific."

* Peruvian presidential hopeful Ollanta Humala described as "inappropriate" President Alejandro Toledo's move to withdraw his ambassador from Caracas following President Hugo Chávez' expression of support for his candidacy, DPA reported.

* "This has been an inappropriate reaction from Mr Toledo; a very distinctive trait of himself," Humala said in his first news conference following his visit to Caracas, where he took part in an event together with Chávez and Bolivian president-elect Evo Morales.
 
* Lima on January 4th recalled ambassador Carlos Urrutia from Venezuela, claiming that Chávez' public support for the Peruvian presidential candidate runs counter the international law and the principles of the Inter-American system of nations.

* Humala ensured that his closeness to the Venezuelan ruler and Morales, whom he called "commander president" and "brother Evo," respectively, does not involve any meddling in domestic affairs, but the launching of his Peruvian Nationalist Party's foreign agenda.

* "We share a project aimed at Latin American integration and we have to let the people of Venezuela and the Republic of Bolivia know it," Humala stressed.

* "The issue here is that we are Ollanta Humala, Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales: the famous troika", he added. "If I met with (George W.) Bush or (Jacques) Chirac they would say nothing."

* Further, he dismissed claims that Chávez has funded his electoral campaign.